Well, as usual, i do not own Naruto.

Chapter 14

Kyouna groaned inwardly, the head priest of Konoha shrine told her to meet him after dinner privately in his study. She just back for Kami's sake and she was happy to see that the shrine was finish and she could meet her grandpa again. Now she had her own room, not a medic room where she's been spent to sleep for three years, she saw it and decided never wanted to go back there anymore. Since Kakashi had to go for mission, and she felt there's no need to get back to their old house again, she decided to back to the shrine. Maybe she could think something about her mistakes to Naruto.

That little sunshine already grewn, he was not that little anymore. His golden hair and blue eyes still same, resembled of her uncle. Only he got tanner than his younger self, Kyouna needed to restrain her tears, when the boy said his name and grinning to her all she wanted to do when snapped out was ran and hug him like he always used to do everytime she went home, but of course he won't do that again.

"He didn't remember anything about you." Kyouna clenched her fist, not only her, she removed all his childhood memories. That's all because of her stupid last minute decisions, and maybe now was the perfect time to discuss the proble with her master. Maybe he could help her, maybe there's something that she could do to fix the mess no matter it costs.

Tsurubuchi been dealing with supernatural thing and saw the most impossible thing in his whole life, and Kyouna's case wasn't surprised him. Although it's quite confusing because she lost her memories twice, but Tsurubuchi accepted what was happened to his foster grandchild. As her master and foster grandfather, he didn't like the things that befallen to her nor her actions which caused her self destruction. Losing her power and temporary memories, fallen asleep for three years and made her brother's memory erased. She could be selfish sometimes, but the most important thing he needed to know what was happened when she fight and what action she took that caused the huge damage like that, although he already had a good guess about that.

"So I guess you already knew why I want to talk with you?" Tsurubuchi stared his granddaughter, actually he's not her real grandfather, he's the bestfriend of Keiko's uncle who taught her and ended up being Kyouna's master.

"Yes." Kyouna replied shortly without averted her serious gaze from him.

"Better you tell me everything." He took a deep breath and repeated. "Everything."

"Hai. Sensei." The young woman took a deep breath before she started. "I think you already knew the detail of the incident, the untold story was about the technique that I used to seal him and caused this mess. Do you remember about Nagakawa clan?"

"That was Nagawaka Kagenobu, he sold his body and soul to demons and changed him into them. He said it when we fought that if his clan had the same contract like ours, the Saishu title and the regalia would be theirs. He planned to take the regalia from me, but because I didn't have it he gone mad and went rampage by changing himself into demon."

"Since I didn't have the Yata no Kagami, I can't beat him." Kyouna sighed, she hated this part so much. "I summoned Kozima and Kariya but they still couldn't help much, I can't hold the barrier for any longer and decided to use that technique."

Tsurubuchi gasped. "You mean 'that' technique?"

"Yes, the trading sealing technique." Kyouna nodded.

"What was you trade with them? Your power?"

"Hai. I know they aren't as strong as the other, but only them I could summon up without the mirror. I trade my power for three months, and agreed to be erased from Kakashi's memories."

"Did you forget that a month for them is a year for us, why did you chose Kakashi? He's your closest and first friend, and why it's turned to erased all Naruto's in the end?"

"I'm not sure, but I think it's because when we've done the contract and in the middle of sealing him, Naruto ran to me. I was worried if he got hurt when he got closed with me, maybe because I was unconsciously thought about him and that made Kojima thought he's the sacrifice."

"Then?"

"I…I don't know, all I remember was they took me to jump and slashed his head then I started to feel sleepy. Last thing I remember that I was falling."

Seeing his granddaughter closed her eyes in grief Tsurubuchi couldn't help but felt sorry, it was him at the first place who took the regalia with him in his escape to Land of Spirit though he knew the girl was the true heir. If only Keiko didn't agree his plan to protect the regalia while the enemies distracted to get them Kyouna would be able to save her group, Keiko wouldn't have to die and she wouldn't have to use the forbidden sealing technique.

"I'm sorry my dear, if only you have the regalia with you. This wouldn't-"

"No, you shouldn't." Kyouna cut her master. "There's no use to say if only, what's done is done sensei."

The old priest sighed. "You're right. So what will you do now?"

"I want to fix it, but I need my power back. Did.-"Kyouna hesitated but asked. "Did my power completely gone sensei?"

"Theoretically, you will lose all your power if the contract was decided to undone. Your ancestor made it with the dragons, the demons were only their subordinates. They won't consume your whole power or undone the contract though anything you deal with them will still caused something like what was happened to you."

There's a long paused when the old priest crossed his arms as he tried to think every possibilities of this case, in his life he never saw or found any member of Nishikawa clan so worked up in dealing with demons it's their specialty, it's in their blood. Remembering Kyouna's opponent was from their long lost rival, Nagakawa clan. One of two priestly clans along with Nishikawa clan who had long performed religious services and handled the rituals in Uzushiogakure proved by shared the identical pendant, which could be combined to show that both clans was an influential clans in the village.

Later, the descendant of Nishikawa clan made the contract with the dragons and seized their power including their political power that strengthen the clan and was weakening the Nakagawa clan and caused a conflict between the long rivalries clans. The conflict reached the climax when the Nishikawa appointed as the Master of Ceremony (Saishu) and took over the important regalia. The Nakagawa soon came to be oppose the Nishikawa and tried to take them down by seek another source of power to match their power.

When the Uzushiogakure destroyed and all of the Nishikawa clan was cleanse when defending the village -except Keiko and him who ran away to Kazan no Kuni- the Nakagawa was left to nowhere. He never heard anything about that clan anymore until he reached Konoha three years ago and found the unconscious Kyouna with the complete pendant of her necklace. She might take the Nakagawa's pendant to give him the clue that the clan was coming after her.

"So, what should I do now?" Kyouna broke the heavy silent between them, she's quite disturbed with her own weakness. Tsurubuchi wasn't part of the clan by blood, he's the best friend of her mother's father, a foster brother who helped her mother out of the village and taught her. He shouldn't took any burden of her clan business, not anymore, but she couldn't do anything to prevent him from meddling with it. "Do you think re-training me could bring my power back? I need to meet Kojima and Kariya as soon as possible."

"Honestly, honey. After hearing the truth, I'm not sure I can help much, but it's worth to try. What makes you in hurry? You know the steps of this training." Kyouna hesitated, she bit her lip and take a deep breath.

"I met Naruto today." Tsurubuchi saw her eyes saddened. "Just like Kakashi said, he didn't recognized me. And it's hurt, when I heard about his life from the other it's hurt me. I'm the cause of his miserable life, if only I didn't gone he won't be alone."

"You had no choice at that time. That wasn't your fault." He tried to console her, though he knew that it won't change her mind.

"Everyone told me that, but I can't think like that. Not until I fixed everything." Kyouna sighed tiredly, today had been very long day for her. "I think I'm going to bed. I'll start the training tomorrow." She stood and bowed a little before she walked out the room."I'm looking forward to re-train with you, sensei."

"Wait, one more question." Tsurubuchi stopped the girl. "Why Kakashi?"

Kyouna didn't turned and closed her eyes, decided not to answer the question and closed the door "Oyasumi, Jiichan."

Kakashi shifted uncomfortably in his chair, he's just finished his mission and that was too easy to be ranked in S-rank for him but Konoha was still far away from the village he'd been stay in its inn. He just wanted to go home, to Konoha. It's been a while since he had the same feeling like this, that was started since he back to his family house. Strange, but soon after the orange ball of energy of his sensei's son came to his life with his dim light of a sister he finally at ease.

He didn't forget all the lost and pain that he got, but four years after the death of Minato he finally felt the warmth of a family again, before it's taken away again from him. He still remember it clearly how nice its felt when he came home and found himself 'attacked' by little Naruto, got scolded but still treated if he got injured from mission with Kyouna's medicine. Though it's completely different with medic-nin technique her traditional medicine felt more effective than went to hospital.

He had a great meal and enjoyed reading time in their living room while Kyouna struggled to teach the super energetic Naruto, in the weekend or if he got day off, Naruto will bugged him to train in their backyard or both of them dragged to help Kyouna cleaned the house. The yellow ball of energy and the dark kitchen queen was one of the best things he had to remind him that he still a human, not a heartless killing machine as his job in ANBU's assassinate squad.

The jōnin sighed as he stared the moon from his room, remembering the reaction that Kyouna showed when she knew the truth he couldn't imagine how's Naruto reaction if he knew that he had the last remaining family. That boy might be very angry because he hid it from him, moreover, he let him suffered those pain because he couldn't protect him or his sister and left him alone. That's all because he weak.

He didn't have the same rebellious nature like Kyouna against the council decision when they retracted Kyouna's custody of Naruto and ignored her will to gave it to Kakashi if something happened to her. If only he could be a little braver to break the curse loop in him. If only…

Naruto awoke with his stomach rumbling loudly, he felt very hungry and craving for a big bowl of ramen for breakfast before he started his random mission day again. Yawned, he kicked off his blanket and grudgingly walked to bathroom.

"Yosh, today I'm going to have a very cool mission from Tsunade baachan!" He grinned at his reflection on the mirror before he walked out the apartment and jumped off around the roof to his favorite place. He landed perfectly in front of the ramen place but something held him to walked into the bar, he suddenly felt someone watched over him. Due to his ninja training he might still lack in basic training, including sharpened his awareness, but this time was very strong feeling. Someone was watching him.

Naruto turned and looked around but he couldn't find anything suspicious, the road was quite because it's already passed the breakfast time. He checked again then shrugged, giving up at his cluelessness and walked into the bar, called out his order. "Teuchi-ossan, miso chāshū ōmori!"

Without he realized, a dark shadow watched him from the roof of that ramen restaurant, before he finally vanished when the boy entered the bar.

a.n

Yo, it's been a month since i updated the story, well, don't kill me. I'm gonna updated it again, doesn't mean i already freed from the toughness of thesis writing but at least for now i could take a breath haha. well i hope you like the story :)